Home for Christmas
by Shaz1
Summary: Just a little festive one-shot. Please r&r!


Home for Christmas

By Shaz

Rating: G

Disclaimer: none of the recognized characters in this story belong to me, they are all the property of Disney and the actors that portray them.

This is just a little light hearted Christmas story, I wanted to submit an offering that wasn't quite as dark as my current ongoing stories so I thought for once I would write a slightly happier tale! Please review!!

Home for Christmas

Anamaria stood leaning against the railings, her eyes cast out to the expanse of ocean around her. She sighed deeply, around this side of the majestic Black Pearl all she could see for miles was the gentle waves crashing together in the dark. This was her way of getting her peace whilst the men of the ship had disembarked and promptly headed to the main part of the town for some female company. Usually the peace and solitude was enough to satisfy her, but tonight she didn't really feel like being alone, she wished for her lover to be beside her, yet somehow she didn't' think that that was going to happen.

She and Jack had been arguing for weeks, the enigmatic pirate Captain was a difficult person to argue with, with his smart mouth and quick mind he could reason or argue his way out of anything. However a few weeks previously the said pirate Captain had very nearly lost his life in a hand to hand combat situation, he had misjudged the situation- badly. This in itself was extremely rare for Captain Sparrow, as generally he was untrusting of people and always assumed the worst of a situation, oh not that he's admit it out loud, but he would generally have a back up plan in line in his mind. Unfortunately that day that had not been the case, and Jack had found himself directly in the sights of a pistol, and would have been dealt a fatal bullet if it hadn't of been for the quick thinking, and the even quicker actions of Gibbs a loyal crew member and long time friend of Jack's. Ana still felt a shudder ripple through her at the thought of how close she had come to losing Jack on a permanent basis. She closed her eyes at the thought, and after taking a deep breath reopened them.

Ever since that day Jack had been like a man possessed, sure he had had a number of brushes with death before, but this time something was different, yet she'd be damned if she knew what it was. She sighed once more and stood up straight, her eyes never leaving the horizon before her. In the distance she heard the faint ringing of bells, and she couldn't help the mild chuckle that escaped her, it was Christmas eve and there she was stood on an empty and lonely ship, the man that she loved nowhere to be found, and she had to admit it- she was miserable.

_Bells will be ringing the sad, sad news  
Oh what a Christmas to have the blues_

She sighed, she felt low, she somehow couldn't believe that the whole crew had gone into town, without one of them even asking her if she wanted to go, she hadn't felt this lonely for years.

_My baby's gone I have no friends  
To wish me greetings once again_

Years ago she had spent Christmas on the streets sleeping in doorways and begging- not that it did her any good. She had never spent Christmas in the arms of a man she loved- hell she had never spent Christmas with anybody she loved before. She had always missed out on the festivities of the season, she had never been carol singing, and she could barely even remember the words to the rejoicing songs. In fact she had never even had a home where Carol singers could knock and serenade her with their young voices.

_Crowds will be singing "Silent Night"  
Christmas carols by candlelight_

She had never had the chance to cook a Christmas meal in her own home, yet it wasn't truly that that she minded, for to her the Pearl was the first real home that she had ever had, and she had received the most love and respect since she had been on board than ever before in her life. The last week or so had been almost unbearable, Jack was there yet somehow he wasn't. He didn't join her in their bed and he hardly said three words to her unless he could help it, all she wanted was for him to truly come home to her.

_Please come home for Christmas,  
Please come home for Christmas  
If not for Christmas, by New Year's night_

In her heart she knew that he did love her, that much was obvious, for she knew deep down that he had shared more with her than any other living human being, but she hated being pushed away by him, she hated not knowing what was going on in his mind. As much as Gibbs and Cotton tried to reassure her, it didn't means much unless it came from Jack himself.

_Friends and relations send salutations  
Sure as the stars shine above_

She sighed once more, she was hoping against hope that this year Christmas would be different, that she would spend it with the man that lived forever in her heart. She wanted to wake up on Christmas morning and find herself encompassed in his strong embrace.

_For this is Christmas, yes, Christmas my dear  
It's the time of year to be with the one you love_

She looked around her, she could see candles and lanterns blazing in the town, yet she still felt isolated and alone. Her heart felt as though it had been torn in two, it was already almost midnight and Jack had not returned to her, and part of her couldn't help but feel as though he never fully would.

_So won't you tell me you'll never more roam  
Christmas and New Year's will find you home_

When he held her in his arms she felt safe, safe and more loved than ever before, yet she couldn't help but feel that if he didn't return to her soon that their love would be tarnished for forever. If only he would come back to her mind, body and soul then she would be complete once again and the pain in his heart would be banished.

_There'll be no more sorrow, no grief and pain  
And I'll be happy, I'll be happy, once again_

She turned away once more, her attention once more grasped by her second love, the ocean before her. She gasped in shock when she felt a presence behind her, and she whipped around quickly, her hand on the sheathed sword at her hip. Her eyes were met by a smiling face of a certain pirate captain.

"'ello love" Jack Sparrow greeted his lover, whose sad, dark eyes now shone with anger, but also something else. Jack could've sworn that he saw relief in there too.

"Where the 'eck have you been?" she asked him, her angry masking the joy and relief she felt at his presence.

"Looking at the bottom of a glass" he replied, surprising her with his honesty.

"Did you find what you were looking for?" she asked him, unable to fully hide the bitter curiosity in her voice. He locked his chocolate gaze on hers, and she found herself unable to look away.

"I always had what I was looking for, I was just blind to it for a while" he told her, his vice surprisingly steady, lacking the usual slur of alcohol. She blinked at him, as she was caught unaware by his answer. His eyes danced with mirth as he looked at her, swallowing her essence with his penetrating glance. He stepped forward and raised his hand to her face, he tenderly caressed her cheek, the motion so soft yet so personal she felt herself shiver in lust at the contact. "I am sorry Ana, I have been a fool" he told her softly, his calloused fingers never leaving contact with her soft skin.

"Jack tell me what's been goin' on. I need to know why you been pushing me away" Ana asked her lover, captain and best friend, her tone pleading. His eyes snapped down, unable to cope with the deep emotions he saw in her gaze. He seemed to take a deep breath to pull himself together, before he answered her question.

"When I 'ad that fight with ole Billy, I wasn't thinking the way I should o' been. All I could think of was you, I was worried that you might have been hurt of something, and that is why he got the drop on me. Then I though of how close I had been to actually getting beat that time, and then I thought of what would 'ave happened to you if I had of" Jack told her. "I know ole Billy and if he had got me, then he would soon after have gone for ye, and he would have got ye too" he told her his tone cracking even at the thought of someone hurting her. "I couldn't live with you getting 'urt cos of me" he told her softly. She saw the raw emotions writing across his handsome tanned face, and couldn't help the chuckle of relief that escaped her. He looked at her and the hurt in his eyes was clearly evident, and she immediately regretted laughing, realizing that he wouldn't understand what she was laughing at. Before he could move away she stepped closer to him and gently took his hand in her own and pulled him closer, so that their noses were nearly touching.

"Don't you ever do that to me again ye daft beggar. You had me thinking all sorts. I thought ye'd gone off with some crumpet from town cos ye had had enough of me" she told him, and he looked at her in horror.

"Ana love, why would I need to do that? I have everything I need here" he told her, his tone deadly serious. She smiled at the sincerity of his words, and without saying another thing she raised her face towards his and placed a gentle soft kiss on his lips. He responded immediately, and just as she was a bout to pull away he moved his arms so that he held her encompassed in his strong embrace, and her body was placed so closely against his that she could feel his heart beating in his chest, she raised her arms to circle around his neck and returned the embrace and the kiss with all of the passion and love that she felt for him. The two stood like that for some time, neither truly wishing to move from the other, enjoying the moment of uninterrupted time together. As they kissed and caressed faint church bells could be heard far away in the distance, and Ana felt bereft when Jack pulled away from her. He looked deep into her eyes, and she could see a thousand emotions dancing in the chocolate orbs as he looked at her. She shuddered involuntarily at the intensity of his scrutiny, but did not look away. She could swear that jack could see right into the depths of her soul, and read her every thought, yet the idea only brought her comfort. As they stared at one another with love radiating between them, Jack carefully took hold of her hand and raised it once more to his lips, planting a soft kiss upon the back of her hand, he then leant forward.

"I love you Ana, Merry Christmas" he whispered in her ear. She smiled at him, a smile that reached her eyes and her heart, her Jack had come home, and yes, it truly was a merry Christmas.

_There'll be no more sorrow, no grief and pain  
And I'll be happy, happy Christmas, once again_

The End

Merry Christmas everybody!

Please review!


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